Harper eager to go bowling
What would be a relatively short period of time for some has seemed like an eternity for the Harper College football program.
Harper (6-5) will be making its 20th NJCAA bowl game appearance in 25 years at 11 a.m. Sunday when it faces 10th-ranked Iowa Central (8-2) in the first of two games in the Graphic Edge Bowl at the UNI Dome in Cedar Falls, Iowa.
But this will also be the Hawks' first bowling trip since 2004.
"That's a long time ago in football years, 31 games ago," said second-year Harper head coach Dragan Teonic.
And a lot of players and coaches ago as well.
"What a great opportunity," said Teonic, who was an assistant on Harper's last trip. "It will be a great experience for the kids. And we have so many new coaches who have never had a chance to experience it."
Freshman quarterback Garrett Barnas, who became the fourth Harper player in five years to win Region IV offensive player of the year honors, is healthy after spraining his ankle two weeks ago against Joliet.
But Teonic said Friday he wasn't sure if Barnas (2,571 yards passing, 22 TDs; 565 yards rushing, 9 TDs) or freshman Matt Brandt (449 yards passing, 1 TD) would start. Brandt ran the offense in practice last week.
Teonic not only likes his options but the way his freshmen have handled the situation.
"They're competitive but in a healthy way," Teonic said. "There is no animosity between each other and that's good to have as a coach."
Top receiver Brian Mitz (57 catches, 745 yards, 8 TDs) from Cary-Grove, linebacker Aaron Diggs (67 tackles) from Rolling Meadows and punter Jordan Hofer (40.4-yard average) were also first-team all-Region IV picks.
Running back Senica Jackson (280 yards rushing, 7 TDs; 20 catches, 209 yards), offensive linemen Ryan Mayse-Miller and Eduardo Cortez, receiver John Baldwin (37 catches, 572 yards, 7 TDs), defensive linemen Kyle Jenkins and Erik Fossen and defensive back Troy Jones (5 interceptions) were second-team picks.
Iowa Central had the best record in the Midwest Football Conference at 7-1 and beat Harper 28-23 on Sept. 22. Iowa Central gave up more than 20 points only two other times -- including a 48-47 loss to North Iowa Area CC in the West championship.
Jake Peterson (1,070 yards, 17 TDs) and David Ferris (664 yards, 8 TDs) lead ground-based Iowa Central.
"They're probably the two hardest runners in the conference," Teonic said. "They're not the fastest and not the biggest but are they tough to tackle."
Teonic hopes this gives the freshmen the drive to return to the feature bowl game -- which has No. 12 Joliet (9-2) facing No. 15 NIACC (7-3) at 3 p.m.
And Teonic is happy the sophomores get rewarded for sticking out a season filled with challenging times.
"The kids we have here right now are fun to coach," Teonic said. "It's my most fun group I've ever been around.
"I'd be really happy to finish the season with a bang and give the sophomores the sendoff they deserve."